Upholstery technique



1967 0. A. RICHARDSON 3,351,383

UPHOLSTERY TECHNIQUE Filed Aug. 5, 1966 5 Sheets-$heet l 4 INVENTOR Ifla/ma 4. rP/CHAQDSOA/ ATI'OEA/EV %4 [way D. A. RICHARDSON Nov. 7, 1967UPHOLSTERY TECHNIQUE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1966 INVENTOR 00mm,4, Ham/P050 Km ATTOR/UFV Nov. 7, 1967 D, A. RICHARDSON UPHOLSTERYTECHNIQUE Filed Aug. 3, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENITOR DONALD A,Hey/1mm! %m 6 A TI'OEWFY ml States 3,351,333 UPHOLSTERY TECHNIQUE DonaldA. Richardson, Barto, Pa., assignor to Knoll Associates, Inn, New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 570,026 3Claims. (Cl. 297460) Unit ABSTRACT 01F THE DISQLUSURE This inventionrelates to the construction of chairs and the like, and moreparticularly, to a technique of upholstering especially adapted to acushion assembly for a chair.

A well-konwn form of chair or the like to which the present invention isapplicable is that shown in Design Patent 199,308 assigned to theassignee of the present invention. Such a chair comprises an exposedframe and upholstered seat and back members. These members are formed oftwo shaped shells or pans, to one or both of which upholstery fabric isapplied. The present invention is particularly directed to animprovement in the method of upholstering such chairs.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide anupholstering technique which includes the fastening together of theaforesaid shells without exposing the fastening means.

Another object is to allow for varying the thickness of the upholsteryfabric that is accommodated by the upholstery shells for the seat andback members.

The above objects are attained in accordance with the basic feature ofthe present invention which resides in the provision of a fasteningmeans comprising a plurality of forwardly extending spring clips securedto one of the shells which make up the cushion assembly and a pluralityof wire rods afiixed to the other shell of the assembly, which rods areadapted to be engaged by teeth on the spring clips. In assembling theshells, the wire rods on the other shell are slid past the teeth orbarbs on the one shell by simple application of pressure to the shells,the wire rods and clips forming a ratchet-like arrangement. Upon releaseof pressure the rods are firmly engaged by the teeth that they have justadvanced beyond in their furthermost point of travel. In effect, then,the wire rods engage the particular teeth which make the assembly astight as possible. In accordance with this described arrangement theresult is that the completed assembly has a finished look and iscompletely devoid of any exposed screws or the like, and further, theassembling can be very quickly performed by one possessing minimalskills.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated inthe accompanying drawmgs.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outer shell of a cushion assemblyaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inner shell of the cushion assembly.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

335L383 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side views in sectionillustrating several stages of the procedure in accordance with thetechnique of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the figures wherein an embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated, there is shown in FIG. 1 an outer shell 10 ofa cushion assembly which is adapted to be fitted into a chair frame.This shell 10 is formed, for example, as a sheet metal stamping and inthis illustration is contoured especially for the back of a chair. It isprovided with forwardly extending flanges 12 and 14 at its top andbottom respectively. The flanges l2 and 14- are provided with suitableholes for inserting screws to enable attachment of the shell to a chairframe,

Afiixed to the inner surface of the shell 10 as part of the fasteningmeans for the assembly are four forwardly projecting spring clips 16,which are affixed, typically by spot welding, to the surface of theshell. Each of these spring clips 16 is provided with a plurality ofrearwardly struck barbs or teeth 16a for purposes to be explainedhereinafter. The outer shell 10 is finished in conventional fashion toyield an attractive appearance. Thus, its outer surface may be coveredwith a fabric 18 of imitation leather or the like.

Inner shell 20, which is adapted to be mated with outer shell 10, isalso formed as a sheet metal stamping especially shaped to conform tothe back of the user. It, of course, could also be constructed ofplastic or similar material, as could shell 10. Inner shell 20, isprovided in the illustrative embodiment with most of the padding 22 forthe cushion assembly. However, it should be noted that the outer shell10 could likewise be provided with similar padding. Included as anintegral part of the shell 20 is a plurality of ribs 24. Surrounding thepadding 22 is a layer 28 of leather or the like to provide a finishedappearance for the shell 20, and this layer is secured at the innersurface by gluing thereto. Across the ribs 24 of the inside shell 20 anumber of wire rods 30 are spotwelded. These rods 30 are adapted toengage with the teeth 16a on the spring clips 16.

Once the covering fabric 18 has been glued to the outer shell 10, thatshell is secured to the chair frame 32 (FIG. 5). This is accomplished bymeans of the screws 34 which are screwed into the wooden frame 32through the holes provided in the flanges l2 and 14. Similarconventional attachments may be used where the frame is metal. When theouter shell It) is firmly secured to the frame 32 the mating inner shell20, whose upholstery preparations have been completed, is brought intoengagement with the outer shell 10. The inner shell is pushed up (FIG.6) so that the rods 30 slide under the spring clips 16. Thus the upperrod slides under the two upper spring clips and likewise, the lower rodslides under the two lower spring clips. The spring clips 16 beingflexible, readily bend (FIG. 7) as they come into contact with the shell20. Because of the spacing between the rods 3t) and the surface of shell20 the forward portions of spring clips 16 meet no restriction in theirmovement. Continued pressure on the shell 20 results in movement of therods 30 past successive teeth 16a until they reach their uppermost limitand have completed their travel. Thence they are finally engagedadvantageously by the teeth that make for the tightest assembly of theshells 10 and 20.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1; A cushion assemblyfor a chair or the like, comprising a combinationof mating shells, a plurality of forwardly directed hooks afiixed to theinner surface of one shell, the other shell being provided with aplurality of spaced wire rods for engaging, upon application ofpressure,- with teeth provided on said plurality of hooks;

said hooks comprising spring clips having said teeth projectingtherefrom;

said other shell including a plurality of spaced ribs on the innersurface thereof, said plurality of spaced wire rods spanning and beingarranged substantially perpendicular to said ribs for engaging saidteeth.

2. A cushion assembly for a chair back or the like, comprising a pair ofcontoured metal shells, one of said shells being provided with forwardlydirected flanges for securing said shell to a chair frame, a pluralityof forwardly extending hooks affixed to an inner surface of said oneshell, said other shell being provided with a plurality of wire rods forengaging upon upward movement of said other shell, the plurality ofhooks on said one shell;

said hooks comprising spring clips having rearwardly struck teethprojecting therefrom;

said other shell being provided with padding means secured to onesurface thereof, a plurality of spaced ribs on an inner surface of saidother shell, and said plurality of wire rods extending across saidplurality of ribs and each adapted to engage, upon said upward movement,with at least two of said plurality of hooks.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said wire rods engagethose teeth on said spring clips beyond which said rods are just able totravel upon application of pressure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,186,301 1/1940 La Moore 297460X 2,252,970 8/1941 Gedris 297450 X 2,284,957 6/1942 Gedris 297-460 X3,037,814 6/19621 Gardner et al. 297460 X 3,288,529 11/1962 Koch 297460CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

1. A CUSHION ASSEMBLY FOR A CHAIR OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A COMBINATIONOF MATING SHELLS, A PLURALITY OF FORWARDLY DIRECTED HOOKS AFFIXED TO THEINNER SURFACE OF ONE SHELL, THE OTHER SHELL BEING PROVIDED WITH APLURALITY OF SPACED WIRE RODS FOR ENGAGING, UPON APPLICATION OFPRESSURE, WITH TEETH PROVIDED ON SAID PLURALITY OF HOOKS; SAID HOOKSCOMPRISING SPRING CLIPS HAVING SAID TEETH PROJECTING THEREFROM; SAIDOTHER SHELL INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED RIBS ON THE INNER SURFACETHEREOF, SAID PLURALITY OF SPACED WIRE RODS SPANNING AND BEING ARRANGEDSUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID RIBS FOR ENGAGING SAID TEETH.